Tanabata Festival

Here is the short version of the Tanabata story from the Savvy Tokyo website:

 The legend goes that Orihime (a weaving princess) and Hikoboshi (a cowherd) met and fell truly, madly, deeply in love with each other, and eventually tied the knot. But love—being the only thing on their minds—shifted their attention from work to each other. Making them—in the eyes of others—lazy and demotivated. Orihime’s father, the King of the Heavens, furious at their negligence of other essential affairs, separated them, sending the two to opposite sides of the Milky Way. Orihime became the star Vega and Hikoboshi, the star Altair.

Heartbroken, Orihime cried her heart out day and night, which didn’t help much in getting her back on track, as her father had hoped. Moved by Orihime’s tears, the king agreed to allow the couple to meet only once a year—on July 7. 

My town holds a four day Tanabata Festival every year. This popular festival always falls during the rainy season, but a big part of it is held near the train station in a covered shopping walkway called Ginza. It’s a family friendly festival with all the decorations, food booths, children’s activity booths, and a place to meet friends. Some people wear yukata - light weight summer kimono wear. I walked around the festival last Sunday and took a few pictures. 

August Tanabata

Yesterday when I was in Shizuoka City, I saw some men putting up decorations in a neighborhood near where I was going.  

When I returned along the same street later in the day, I saw many decorations.  

I also saw this poster - Tanabata.  

My town celebrates Tanabata on July 7th, but Hokkaido and other places, including this neighborhood, celebrate in August. Legend has it that on only this one day of year, the two lovers, weaver star Vega and shepherd star Altair meet in the Milky Way. On this day children write their wishes and hang them on bamboo branches. I love living in Japan with all of its legends and celebrations.

Stitch Group on Tanabata

We met last Sunday on Tanabata (July 7th in Shizuoka).  Tanabata is the one day of the year that the two lovers Vega and Altair meet in the Milky Way. This is the day to write down your wishes and hang them on bamboo branches. 

My stitching friends are so creative! They had a decorated bamboo branch and paper for us to write our wishes.  I wrote mine in Japanese.  It wasn't gramatically correct, but my friends could (almost) understand what I meant to say.

Some of us worked on our NHK Partnership Quilt Blocks.  Those who completed their blocks worked on Assisi, and I made some hexagons for my temperature quilt.  

A hexagon shell turtle, with a frog on his back.

A lion made with Japanese fabric yo-yos

Last time's hedge hog had some back problems so this is a seal or maybe a sea lion, I forget.

This is a kakigori eating polar bear.

Tea time was a big treat with melon, chocolate cake, and macha cookies from a cruise trip. 

Next time we are starting a new project and going out for our tea/treat time. You won't want to miss it!